Package design and nutritional profile of foods targeted at children in supermarkets in Montevideo, Uruguay

Abstract

Marketing of unhealthy products has been identified as one of the main characteristics of the food environment that negatively affects children’s eating patterns. Restrictions on advertising of unhealthy foods to children have already been imposed in different countries. However, marketing strategies are not limited to broadcast and digital advertising, but also include package design. In this context, the current study aimed to describe the food products targeted at children and sold in supermarkets in Montevideo, Uruguay, in terms of package design and nutrient profile. Two supermarkets in Montevideo were selected for data collection. In each supermarket, all products targeted at children were identified. Products were analyzed in terms of package design and nutritional profile, considering the Pan American Health Organization Nutrient Profile Model. A total of 180 unique products were identified, which included a wide range of product categories. The great majority of the products corresponded to ultra-processed products with excessive amounts of sodium, free sugars, total fat, saturated fat, and/or trans fat, which are not recommended for frequent consumption. Several marketing strategies were identified in the design of packages to attract children’s attention and drive their preferences. The most common strategies were the inclusion of cartoon characters, bright colors, childish lettering, and a wide range of claims related to health and nutrition, as well as the products’ sensory and hedonic characteristics. The study’s findings provide additional evidence on the need to regulate packaging of products targeted at children.

The Power of Packaging: A Scoping Review and Assessment of Child-Targeted Food Packaging

“…Not surprisingly, the majority (77%) of content analyses of child-directed food packaging tracked the prevalence of nutrition claims, although only one study [9] provided a definition. Several studies instead gave examples of such claims, such as a low-fat, source of Vitamin D, no artificial sweeteners (or other ingredient claims), or examples of health symbols [19,22,30,36,60]. In the packaged foods analysed, the frequency of nutrition/health claims ranged from 19% to 100%.…”

“…Early interest in food packaging and children may have commenced in the marketing literature, with scholars in the late 1970s seeking to find the best route to promote cereals to kids, but when the public health community turns its attention to the food promotion directed at children in the supermarkets some 28 years later [18], it brings a radically different focus. Questions related to the nutritional quality of packaged foods dominate, with studies classifying 97% of child-directed supermarket products as ultra-processed [36] and 89% as "unhealthy" [9,15,22,23,30]. Certain nuances across studies are worth mentioning, however.…”

A influência dos apelos visuais em embalagens alimentícias para crianças e a decisão de compra dos pais: Um estudo sob a ótica do design da informação

“…Os apelos visuais empregados em alimentos e bebidas para crianças podem ser apresentados de diversas formas. Estes podem ser personagens, mascotes, celebridades, brindes, promoções, entre outros (Giménez, Saldamando, Curutchet & Ares, 2017). Ainda, encontramse alegações nutricionais e de saúde sobre a existência ou não de uma determinada substância (e.g., sem gordura trans) e que referenciam ao gosto ou à energia proporcionada (Giménez et al, 2017) O emprego de apelos em embalagens de alimentos infantis já é um tema explorado internacionalmente.…”

Contenido de grasas, sodio, azúcares y edulcorantes declarados en etiquetado nutricional de golosinas, snacks salados y en bebidas dulces no alcohólicas seleccionadas

“…La población infantil no es ajena a esta realidad e inclusive es la más vulnerable a la frecuente exposición a publicidad o marketing de alimentos dirigida puesto que a estas edades, aún no tienen criterio propio para decidir sobre lo que es mejor para su salud e influencia fuertemente con campañas de marketing bien preparadas para (3,4) atrapar a este sector de la población vulnerable .…”